Paint Made Flesh

Paint Made Flesh is a collection of paintings that suggest the physical and metaphorical properties and significance of human flesh. Taking place at The Phillips Collection in Washington D.C., this exhibition brings together more than 40 works from museums all around the world. The collection showcases renowned contemporary artists rarely seen together, such as Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, Georg Baselitz, Willem de Kooning, Alice Neel, Lucian Freud, Eric Fischl, and Julan Schnabel. It will be on view from June 20-Sep. 13, 2009.

"Paint Made Flesh generates a fresh and fascinating conversion about the powerful legacy of figure painting. The Exhibition, with it's thoughtful juxtaposition of paintings, not only reaveals the singular capacity of paint to capture the complexities of the human condition, but also broadens the scope of our collection's conversation with contemporary artists." -Dorothy Kosinski, Director of The Phillips Collection

This featured artwork entitled, "We Have to Eat" by Arnaldo Roche-Rabell caught my eye as soon as I saw it. With his intense and captivating stare, this painting certainly grabbed my curiosity. His face is perceived to be rough and scratchy, as the artist executed the image with linear lines. Yet his eyes are rendered completely smooth and left unscathed. 

The artist used a very dark background but chose yellow, orange, and white hues to create his paint made flesh. I am more than captivated with this piece of art, and without a doubt intrigues me to see more from this artist as well as more pieces from The Phillips Collection.